Ministry of State Security: Taiwan-linked cyber army behind Anonymous 64 attacks
The Ministry of State Security unveiled on Monday that the group known as "Anonymous 64" is not an ordinary hacker group, but a cyber force backed by "Taiwan-independence" forces.
The national security agency has launched investigations into three active-duty personnel of Taiwan's military cyber unit who allegedly carried out the cyberattacks.
The three individuals are Luo Junming, Hong Liqi, and Liao Weilen, according to the ministry's official WeChat account. Legal investigations have been initiated against these three individuals.
Luo Junming (left), Hong Liqi (middle), and Liao Weilun (right). (Photo courtesy of the official Wechat account of China's National Security Ministry)
Since the beginning of this year, a hacker group called Anonymous 64 has launched frequent cyberattacks against China's mainland and the Hong Kong-Macau region. The group sought control of websites, outdoor electronic screens, and online TV systems, aiming to illegally upload and broadcast content that defames the mainland's political system and policies, spreading rumors in the process, according to the ministry.
Its report revealed that Anonymous 64 is actually a front for the cyber-info analysis center under the island's cyber forces. This center is dedicated to conducting cyber warfare and media manipulation against the mainland.
In June 2023, the center, under the name of Anonymous 64, registered social media accounts to launch cyberattacks and propaganda sabotage.
Since its inception, Anonymous 64 has posted over 70 updates on social media, showcasing alleged "victories" to gain attention. Their claimed targets include outdoor electronic billboards, vending machines, online TVs, and websites of media outlets, airlines, and universities, all in an effort to portray mainland's cybersecurity defenses as weak, the report said.
After a thorough investigation by Chinese national security agencies, it was found that the group's reported "victories" were greatly exaggerated. Most of the attacked websites were fake replicas or long-abandoned "zombie" sites, with some results even fabricated through photo manipulation.
